Happy new year, friends and colleagues! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season. This post is a little late because our holidays were kind of hectic...between both of us getting horrible colds and Jen's grandma passing away, we have been fairly unplugged. As always, we start the new year highlighting 14 things that were exciting about LGBTQ rights, marriage equality and our company in 2013. Enjoy the list below and we look forward to hearing from you to celebrate this new year! More

I really really really love the work we get to do and the wonderful clients we meet. Lee and Tom are a perfect example, a very well matched couple, equally nerdy and equally funny. Their wedding had a little bit of geek for everyone - the science geek, the computer geek, the board game geek, the SciFi geek...it was such a beautiful, extremely personalized wedding and we couldn't be more proud to have produced it. This awesome gay wedding was at Boston's State Room, one of the most beautiful venues in the city. More

We have some very exciting news that we've been working on for months. The press release pretty much says it all, but the short story is that 14 Stories and the W Retreat and Spa in Vieques Island (Puerto Rico) are announcing a special same-sex wedding planning partnership. It thrills me to be partners with the W, especially since Starwood Hotels is consistently a great ally to the LGBT community. Keep reading for more details. More

As I've said before, the Family Equality Council is an LGBT organization near and dear to my heart. In light of the AMAZING news surrounding the Supreme Court's rulings, I wanted to make a donation to FEC on behalf of all new full production clients who book with us. SO here's the deal: for all full service weddings booked with 14 Stories by August 15, 2013, 14 Stories will make a donation of $1000 to Family Equality Council. For every elopement booked in that time, we'll donate $150. So, show the LOVE with 14 Stories and Family Equality Council. More

I love ketubahs, Foundation Covenants and other sacred wedding texts. I think they are elegant and can reflect the personality of the couple.

Traditionally, the ketubah is signed by the couple, their
rabbi/officiant and a few witnesses before the wedding. The Foundation
Covenant and Quaker Marriage Certificate
are signed by the couple and their officiant during the ceremony, and
by their guests witnessing the covenant, after the ceremony. I love
that this can substitute as a guest book. More

More often than not, and enough to call it a gay wedding tradition,
guests to gay weddings are greeted with passed sparkling wine and water
before the wedding ceremony. Sometimes it's a cocktail and sometimes it's a full open bar but it's usually just some bubbly. More

When I'm asked by a reporter, a prospective client, a curious
acquaintance, or a stranger at a cocktail party, "What's the difference
between a straight wedding and a gay wedding?", my response begins with, "Well, traditionally, at a gay wedding..."

That's right - there are gay wedding traditions, mostly at the ceremony. Let me explain further.

There's a strong and palpable feeling of triumph and celebration at gay
weddings. But before that feeling actually sets in, many of the guests
who have never before attended a gay wedding simply don't know what to
expect. So the guests start out with a great deal of anticipation, are
a little nervous, excited, curious. We like to help them relax. Traditionally, at a gay wedding,
guests are greeted before the ceremony with champagne and sparkling
water. This can last for 5-30 minutes before the ceremony begins and
sets the tone of something a little bit different but definitely
celebratory and fun.

Then comes the processional...and not your typical Wedding March, the Bridal Chorus or Trumpet Voluntary
with a massive wedding party. Traditionally, if there is a central
aisle, the couple walks in together holding hands. If there is no
central aisle (often), the couple walks in from two different
directions each accompanied by their family and/or wedding party, and
meets in the middle. And the music? How about "All You Need is Love", "Ribbon in the Sky"
or another contemporary piece with meaning to the couple? Sometimes
this piece is played live and sometimes it's the recorded version of
the song. Our processional is "Your Precious Love" by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
example of a Foundation Covenant, designed by Modern Ketubah More